30-Day Grocery Tax Suspension Proposed By Governor Lee

Image Credit: Liz West / CC

The Center Square [By Jon Styf] –

A 30-day grocery tax suspension proposed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee collectively could save consumers $50 million.

Lee announced Thursday he will include the 30-day holiday in his 2022-23 budget amendment, which is set to be delivered Tuesday. Last year’s state budget included a one-week grocery and restaurant tax holiday, which was estimated to have a $38.5 million tax impact.

Lee did not say when the proposed moratorium would happen, but it would need to be after the new budget year begins July 1.

*** Click Here to Support Conservative Journalism in Tennessee. We can’t bring your articles like this without your support!***

“As Americans see their cost-of-living skyrocket amid historic inflation, suspending the grocery tax is the most effective way to provide direct relief to every Tennessean,” Lee said. “Our state has the ability to put dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Tennesseans, and I thank members of the General Assembly for their continued partnership in maintaining our fiscally conservative approach.”

This year’s tax holiday proposal from Lee includes food and groceries but not prepared food at restaurants.

NewTruth

The state collected nearly $50 million last September – a 30-day month – with its 4% food and grocery tax. Last year’s tax holiday proposal reimbursed local governments for lost taxes, which would cost the state $2 million on an estimated $50 million overall tax impact.

“While this temporary tax relief is a well-intentioned way to fight the inflation caused by terrible federal policy, and while it will certainly help middle-class Tennesseans, we will continue to focus on opportunities to make permanent tax cuts that will help Tennesseans long-term,” Beacon Center of Tennessee Chief Executive Officer Justin Owen said.

proposal last year from Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, to have a grocery and food tax holiday from May through October did not pass in the Legislature. It was estimated it could have saved consumers $46 million-$48 million a month.

“Weird,” Yarbro tweeted Thursday. “When [Rep. Vincent Dixie and] I proposed a pause on sales tax on groceries to help [Tennessee] taxpayers, they rejected it. Worth noting there are about 200 other things the legislature should be doing to help families struggling [with] housing, health, gas [and] food costs. But not happening.”

Two Democratic legislators called for Lee earlier this month to create a 90-day gas tax moratorium that Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, said would save consumers $224 million.

That proposal has not happened.

“This. Is. Rich,” tweeted Rep. John Ray Clemmons, who had proposed the gas tax suspension with Mitchell. “[Lee] refused to suspend gas/diesel tax after [Mitchell and] I recently called for it, so he tries to save face by pivoting to a tax that Dems have been fighting to cut/repeal for [years]. He [and] his [administration] killed my bill to make fruit/[vegetables] tax-free less than [one month] ago.”

About the Author: Jon Styf, The Center Square Staff Reporter – Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonStyf.

3 thoughts on “30-Day Grocery Tax Suspension Proposed By Governor Lee

  • March 25, 2022 at 3:41 pm
    Permalink

    Remove tax on Gas also, GGovernor Lee.

    Reply
  • March 25, 2022 at 7:41 pm
    Permalink

    There shouldn’t be a tax on groceries period. It is a necessity of life. A 30 day suspension wouldn’t help families very much. With all the covid aid that states got from the federal government. Which most states now have huge surpluses of cash and that is fact. The data is out there. How about giving people a break on property tax or suspending the gas tax for a few months. Don’t just throw crumbs out there as Pelosi says.
    In God we trust

    Reply
    • April 26, 2022 at 4:35 pm
      Permalink

      Some taxes are a necessary evil, but things like food taxes, and property taxes, are wrong!

      With the property tax system in America, you can NEVER own personal property!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *